Juvenile myositis (JM) is an autoimmune disease targeting muscles, skin and other tissues caused by yet to be determined genetic and environmental factors. With financial support from the Cure JM Foundation in collaboration with Cure JM Foundation scientific advisors we have completed the design and development of assays based on genetic anomalies that may be contributing to JM pathogenesis. These assays are now being validated for use in the interrogation of chemical libraries for the identification of agents that modify these aberrant pathways.